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| EU vote campaign spending probed | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The spending returns of the Stronger In and Vote Leave campaigns in last year's EU referendum are under investigation, the Electoral Commission has announced. | The spending returns of the Stronger In and Vote Leave campaigns in last year's EU referendum are under investigation, the Electoral Commission has announced. |
| A total of more than £32m was spent on the campaign - with the Leave side funded by donations totalling £16.4m, outgunning the Remain side's £15.1m. | A total of more than £32m was spent on the campaign - with the Leave side funded by donations totalling £16.4m, outgunning the Remain side's £15.1m. |
| The spending returns show that the Brexit battle was the most expensive referendum ever fought in British political history, said the watchdog. | The spending returns show that the Brexit battle was the most expensive referendum ever fought in British political history, said the watchdog. |
| Lib Dem spending is also under review. | Lib Dem spending is also under review. |
| The watchdog said invoices and receipts submitted by the two umbrella Leave and Remain campaigns appeared to be incomplete and they were seeking further details in relation to certain payments. | |
| While this was disappointing, it stressed that it was too early to say whether any offences had been committed. | |
| "Missing spending details undermine transparency and makes the returns harder for the public to understand," said Bob Posner, its director of political finance. | |
| "Where it appears campaigners have not fulfilled their legal obligations, we have begun and will continue to take action to deal with this." | |
| The watchdog has published details of all campaign spending in excess of £250,000 during last year's referendum battle. | |
| The figures show the rival Leave and Remain campaigns secured the majority of their funding through large donations of more than £7,500 each. | |
| The Electoral Commission has also launched a formal investigation into apparently missing documentation from the Lib Dems and late returns submitted by Butlins founder Peter Harris, who campaigned against EU membership. | |
| It has also said it is examining possible discrepancies in paperwork submitted by the European Movement, Labour Leave, UKIP and Conservatives In. |